Simple reverse flow wye connector

Abstract

A body includes two separate openings on a first side of the body that correspond to separate passages that converge to a common passage. An opening on a second side of the body couples to the common passage. A bore in the body is concentric with the common passage. A diverter has at least a part of the diverter in both the bore and the common passage. A tubular portion of the diverter has an open end in fluid communication with the common passage. One or more seals are positioned circumferentially around the part of the diverter located in the bore. The diverter is selectively rotated with the drive mechanism during use to align a diverter wall opening with a selected separate passage such that an object moving from the common passage through the tubular portion of the diverter is directed into the selected separate passage during use.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A fitting, comprising:
 a body comprising:
 at least two separate openings on a first side of the body, wherein the at least two separate openings on the first side couple to corresponding separate passages in the body that converge to a common passage in the body; 
 an opening on a second side of the body opposite from the first side of the body, wherein the opening couples to the common passage; and 
 a bore in a part of the body between the at least two separate passages, the bore being concentric with the common passage; 
 
 a diverter, wherein at least a portion of the diverter is located in both the bore and the common passage during use, and wherein a first end portion of the diverter is coupled to a drive mechanism on the first side of the body, and a second end portion of the diverter, opposite to the first end portion, comprises a tubular portion with an end of the tubular portion being open and in fluid communication with the common passage, and wherein at least part of the diverter in the bore tightly fits in the bore; and 
 one or more seals positioned circumferentially around the part of the diverter that tightly fits in the bore; 
 wherein the wall of the tubular portion of the diverter comprises an opening, and wherein the diverter is selectively rotated with the drive mechanism during use to align the diverter wall opening with a selected separate passage such that an object moving from the common passage through the tubular portion of the diverter is directed into the selected separate passage during use; and 
 wherein the tubular portion of the diverter comprises orifices that allow at least some fluid flow between the separate passages not aligned with the wall opening and the common passage to equalize pressure between the passages, and wherein the orifices inhibit object flow between the passages. 
 
     
     
       2. The fitting of  claim 1 , wherein the tubular portion of the diverter comprises a shaped passage that directs the object to the selected separate passage during use. 
     
     
       3. The fitting of  claim 1 , wherein the open end of the tubular portion of the diverter allows the object to enter the inside of the tubular portion. 
     
     
       4. The fitting of  claim 1 , wherein the separate passages are oriented symmetrically about a central axis. 
     
     
       5. The fitting of  claim 1 , wherein the diverter can be selectively rotated during use to align the wall opening such that open flow is inhibited between the all of the separate passages and the common passage. 
     
     
       6. The fitting of  claim 1 , wherein the diverter can be selectively rotated to align the wall opening such that fluid flow is open between the common passage and the selected separate passage and fluid flow is inhibited between the common passage and the separate passages not aligned with the wall opening. 
     
     
       7. The fitting of  claim 6 , wherein the diverter is coupled to the body using a sealed, flanged coupling. 
     
     
       8. The fitting of  claim 6 , wherein the diverter is removable from the body while the body remains coupled to a pipeline. 
     
     
       9. The fitting of  claim 1 , wherein the drive mechanism is operable external of the body of the fitting. 
     
     
       10. The fitting of  claim 1 , wherein the drive mechanism is coupled to the first end of the diverter and the first side of body with a sealed, flanged coupling. 
     
     
       11. The fitting of  claim 1 , wherein the first end portion of the diverter comprises a shaft portion coupled to the drive mechanism. 
     
     
       12. The fitting of  claim 11 , wherein the seals are located on the shaft portion of the diverter. 
     
     
       13. The fitting of  claim 1 , wherein the fitting is configured to be coupled to a subsea pipeline. 
     
     
       14. A fitting, comprising:
 a body comprising:
 at least two passages in the body that converge from separate openings on a first side of the body to a single opening on a second side of the body, wherein the second side of the body is opposite from the first side of the body; and 
 a bore in a part of the body between the at least two passages, the bore being concentric with the single opening; 
 
 a diverter, wherein at least a part of the diverter is located in the bore, wherein a first end portion of the diverter is coupled to a drive mechanism on the first side of the body, and a second end portion of the diverter, opposite to the first end portion, comprises a tubular portion with an end of the tubular portion being open and in fluid communication with the single opening, and wherein at least part of the diverter in the bore tightly fits in the bore; and 
 one or more seals positioned circumferentially around the part of the diverter that tightly fits in the bore; 
 wherein the wall of the tubular portion of the diverter comprises an opening, and wherein the diverter is selectively rotated with the drive mechanism during use to align the diverter wall opening with a selected passage such that an object moving from the single opening through the tubular portion of the diverter is directed into the selected passage during use; and 
 wherein the tubular portion of the diverter comprises orifices that allow at least some fluid flow between the passages not aligned with the wall opening and the single opening to equalize pressure between the passages and the single opening, and wherein the orifices inhibit object flow between the passages and the single opening. 
 
     
     
       15. The fitting of  claim 14 , wherein the tubular portion of the diverter comprises a shaped passage that directs the object to the selected passage during use. 
     
     
       16. The fitting of  claim 14 , wherein the open end of the tubular portion of the diverter allows the object to enter the inside of the tubular portion. 
     
     
       17. The fitting of  claim 14 , wherein the passages are oriented symmetrically about a central axis. 
     
     
       18. The fitting of  claim 14 , wherein the diverter can be selectively rotated during use to align the wall opening such that open flow is inhibited between the all of the passages and the single opening. 
     
     
       19. The fitting of  claim 14 , wherein the diverter can be selectively rotated to align the wall opening such that fluid flow is open between the single opening and the selected passage and fluid flow is inhibited between the single opening and the passages not aligned with the wall opening. 
     
     
       20. The fitting of  claim 14 , wherein the diverter is coupled to the body using a sealed, flanged coupling. 
     
     
       21. The fitting of  claim 14 , wherein the diverter is removable from the body while the body remains coupled to a pipe line. 
     
     
       22. The fitting of  claim 14 , wherein the drive mechanism is operable external of the body of the fitting. 
     
     
       23. The fitting of  claim 14 , wherein the drive mechanism is coupled to the first end of the diverter and the first side of body with a sealed, flanged coupling. 
     
     
       24. The fitting of  claim 14 , wherein the first end portion of the diverter comprises a shaft portion coupled to the drive mechanism. 
     
     
       25. The fitting of  claim 24 , wherein the seals are located on the shaft portion of the diverter. 
     
     
       26. The fitting of  claim 14 , wherein the fitting is configured to be coupled to a subsea pipeline.